When basil is growing at its peak, there’s no better way to celebrate it than by making a simple sauce that lets its fresh flavor take center stage. Too often, basil is treated as a garnish, added at the very end for a little color. In this recipe, it’s the star. Using two full cups of fresh basil transforms a few everyday ingredients into a sauce that’s bright, fragrant, and full of the taste of summer.
This is the kind of recipe that reminds me why simple cooking is often the best cooking. A can of whole plum tomatoes, good extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, and an abundance of basil are all you need to create something truly memorable. There are no complicated techniques or long ingredient lists—just quality ingredients working together the way they were meant to. In about 15 minutes, you’ll have a pasta dish that tastes like it came from an Italian kitchen in the middle of basil season.
If your garden is overflowing with basil or you picked up a beautiful bunch at the farmers market, this is the recipe to make. Every bite is fresh, vibrant, and comforting all at once. Sometimes the simplest meals become the ones you make over and over again, and I have a feeling this will become one of your favorites.
2
servings10
minutes15
minutesIngredients
1 28 oz. 1 can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
2 tbsp. 2 extra virgin olive oil
2 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 cups 2 loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 lb. 1/2 rigatoni
1/4 cup 1/4 water
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
freshly grated Parmigiano Reffiano or Pecorino Romano (optional)
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the sliced garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Do not let it brown.
- Remove the garlic if you prefer a milder garlic flavor.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and ¼ cup of water. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the basil leaves and cook for just 1–2 minutes until wilted. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce, reduce the heat to low, and toss for about 1 minute.
- If needed, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until the sauce beautifully coats the pasta.
- Serve immediately topped with more freshly torn basil, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.
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